Public Health Reports®

Updated 10/13/22

Public Health Reports
Instructions for Contributors

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Aims and scope of the journal
3. Manuscript types
   3.1 Original research
         3.1.1 Number of words, tables, and figures
         3.1.2 Peer reviewed
         3.1.3 Manuscript format
         3.1.4 Review criteria
   3.2 Public health evaluation
         3.2.1 Number of words, tables, and figures
         3.2.2 Peer reviewed
         3.2.3 Manuscript format
         3.2.4 Review criteria
   3.3 Public health methodology
         3.3.1 Number of words, tables, and figures
         3.3.2 Peer reviewed
         3.3.3 Manuscript format
         3.3.4 Review criteria
   3.4 Case study
         3.4.1 Number of words, tables, and figures
         3.4.2 Peer reviewed
         3.4.3 Manuscript format
         3.4.4 Review criteria
   3.5 Brief report
         3.5.1 Number of words, tables, and figures
         3.5.2 Peer reviewed
         3.5.3 Manuscript format
         3.5.4 Review criteria
   3.6 Reports and recommendations
         3.6.1 Number of words, tables, and figures
         3.6.2 Peer reviewed
         3.6.3 Manuscript format
         3.6.4 Review criteria
   3.7 Topical review
         3.7.1 Number of words, tables, and figures
         3.7.2 Peer reviewed
         3.7.3 Manuscript format
         3.7.4 Review criteria
   3.8 Commentary
         3.8.1 Number of words, tables, and figures
         3.8.2 Peer reviewed
         3.8.3 Manuscript format
         3.8.4 Review criteria
   3.9 Editorial
   3.10 Executive perspective
   3.11 Letter to the editor
         3.11.1 Number of words, tables, and figures
         3.11.2 Peer reviewed
         3.11.3 Manuscript format
         3.11.4 Review criteria
4. Special departments of the journal
   4.1 Law and the Public's Health
   4.2 From the Schools and Programs of Public Health
   4.3 Writing for Public Health
   4.4 Public Health Chronicles
   4.5 Ethical Dimensions of Public Health
5. Supplemental issues
6. Publishing policies
   6.1 Publication ethics
   6.2 Plagiarism
   6.3 Prior publication
   6.4 Contributor's publishing agreement
   6.5 Copyright
   6.6 Open access and author archiving
   6.7 Accessibility
7. Editorial policies
   7.1 Peer review policy
   7.2 Authorship
   7.3 Acknowledgements
   7.4 Funding
   7.5 Declaration of conflicting interests
   7.6 Research ethics, patient consent, and statement of ethics review
   7.7 Clinical trials
   7.8 Reporting guidelines
8. Preparing your manuscript for submission
   8.1 Submission of manuscripts to supplement issues
   8.2 The Sage Author Gateway
   8.3 PHR style
   8.4 Components of your manuscript
         8.4.1 Title page
         8.4.2 Abstract
         8.4.3 Keywords
         8.4.4 Three-question summary box
         8.4.5 References
         8.4.6 Tables and figures
   8.5 Hypothesis, study design, and methods
   8.6 Expression of statistics
   8.7 Formatting
   8.8 Artwork, figures and other graphics
   8.9 Supplemental material
   8.10 English language editing services
9. Submitting your manuscript
   9.1 Cover letter
   9.2 ORCID
   9.3 Information required for completing your submission
   9.4 Permissions
   9.5 What to expect after submission
10. Acceptance and publication
    10.1 Sage Production
    10.2 OnlineFirst publication
    10.3 Access to your published article
    10.4 Promoting your article
    10.5 Claim continuing education credits
11. Further information

If you have any questions about publishing with Sage, please visit the Sage Journal Solutions Portal.

1. Introduction

Sage Publishing disseminates high-quality research and engaged scholarship globally, and we are committed to diversity and inclusion in publishing. We encourage submissions from a diverse range of authors from across all countries and backgrounds.

These instructions for contributors are intended to assist authors who wish to submit manuscripts to Public Health Reports (PHR). The journal follows 3 main publication standards: 1) these instructions, 2) the AMA Manual of Style, 11^th Edition, 2020 (AMA Manual), and 3) the Manuscript Submission Guidelines of Sage Publishing, the technical publisher of the journal (Sage Guidelines). When seeking advice on the publication standards used by PHR, you should first consult these instructions. In instances where these instructions are silent on a particular point, consult the AMA Manual. In instances where both these instructions and the AMA Manual are silent, consult the Sage Guidelines. Manuscripts that substantially deviate from these instructions may be returned to the contributor without review.

You should read these instructions before submitting your manuscript. In addition, you should browse the journal to become familiar with the types of articles we publish and our format. Then, visit the journal’s submission site at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/PHR to submit your manuscript. You should take care to ensure that your manuscript conforms to these instructions.  

As part of the submission process you will be required to warrant that: 1) you are submitting your original work, 2) you have the rights to the work, 2) the work is not being considered for publication elsewhere, 3) the work has not been previously published elsewhere, and 4) you have obtained and can supply all necessary permissions for the reproduction of any copyright materials within the work that are not owned by you (eg, a figure from another copyrighted publication).

Please see our guidelines on prior publication and note that PHR may accept submissions of papers that have been posted on pre-print servers; please alert the Editorial Office when submitting (contact details are at the end of these guidelines) and include the DOI for the preprint in the designated field in the manuscript submission system. Authors should not post an updated version of their paper on the preprint server while it is being peer reviewed for possible publication in the journal. If the article is accepted for publication, the author may re-use their work according to the journal's author archiving policy. If your paper is accepted, you must include a link on your preprint to the final version of your paper.

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2. Aims and scope of the journal

PHR is the official journal of the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General and the U.S. Public Health Service and has been published since 1878. It is published bimonthly, plus supplement issues, through an official agreement with the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). The journal is editorially independent from the Office of the Surgeon General and ASPPH, and they have no role in selecting or editing content for publication. The journal is peer-reviewed and publishes original research and commentaries in the areas of public health practice and methodology, original research, public health law, public health history, and public health schools and teaching. Issues contain regular commentaries by the US Surgeon General and executives of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health. 

The journal focuses on current and emerging topics in public health, including infectious diseases and their prevention (eg, HIV/AIDS, immunization), non-infectious diseases (eg, chronic diseases, injuries), environmental and occupational disease (eg, lead poisoning), and behavioural and social risk factors (eg, substance use disorders, health disparities). In addition to the 6 regular issues, PHR produces supplemental issues approximately 2 to 5 times per year that cover topics of interest to the readership. Target audiences of PHR include public health professionals working in government or the private sector in the United States or other countries around the world. The journal no longer publishes book reviews.  

PHR is a subscription journal. Contributors do not pay a fee to submit or publish in PHR, unless they wish to publish with immediate full open access through Sage Choice. Because PHR is indexed in PubMed Central, your article will discoverable there after it is published, and the article will be freely available in a full text format after 12 months.

PHR welcomes contributions that fulfill the mission and purpose of the journal: 1) to facilitate the movement of science into public health practice and policy to positively affect the health and wellness of the American public, 2) to publish scholarly manuscripts that describe new and innovative ways to deliver essential services, leading to improved quality, enhanced efficiency, and reduced costs, and 3) to publish evaluations of public health programs that highlight programs’ impacts and describe models of practice that can be replicated by others. The journal welcomes submissions on public health problems or issues outside the United States that are germane to the journal’s mission to facilitate the movement of science into public health practice and policy to positively affect the health and wellness of the American public.

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3. Manuscript types

The journal accepts manuscripts of the following types: original research; public health evaluation; public health methodology, case studies, brief reports, reports and recommendations, topical reviews, systematic literature reviews, commentaries, and letters to the editor. The following is a description of each article type and its accompanying requirements.

3.1 Original research

Original research manuscripts report on research or meta-analyses, conducted to increase knowledge of a particular public health concern, establish or confirm facts, reaffirm the results of previous work, solve new or existing problems, or support previous or develop new theories. You should follow the relevant Equator Network reporting guideline for the study type.

3.1.1 Number of words, tables, and figures

3000-word limit, 250-word structured abstract (objectives, methods, results, and conclusions), no more than 5 tables or figures

3.1.2 Peer reviewed

Yes

3.1.3 Manuscript format

Structured abstract, 3-question summary box (see description below), introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusions, references, and tables/figures. For meta-analyses: structured abstract, 3-question summary box, introduction, methods (data sources, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and criteria for assessing data), results, discussion, public health implications, references, and tables/figures. 

3.1.4 Review criteria

The editors review original research submissions in accordance with whether the manuscript: 1) facilitates the movement of science into public health practice, 2) presents actionable results derived from original research, 3) uses sound scientific methods, including the appropriate use of statistics, 4) reports on recent data (preferably less than 5 years old) that include a description of entry criteria for clinical studies and response rates for survey data, 5) follows the relevant Equator Network guideline for the study type, and 6) uses plain language and statistical presentation relevant to a broad range of public health professionals. 

For meta-analyses, the editors review submissions in accordance with whether the manuscript: 1) states clearly a set of objectives with predefined eligibility criteria, 2) provides an explicit, reproducible methodology, 3) uses a systematic search that attempts to identify all studies that would meet the eligibility criteria, 4) offers an assessment of the validity of the findings of the included studies (eg, through the assessment of risk of bias), 5) provides a systematic presentation and synthesis of the characteristics and findings of the included studies, 6) follows the relevant Equator Network guideline for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and 7) uses plain language and statistical presentation relevant to a broad range of public health professionals.  

3.2 Public health evaluation

Public health evaluation manuscripts report on evaluations conducted to determine whether a public health program or practice has met its goals. You should follow the relevant Equator Network reporting guideline for the study type.

3.2.1 Number of words, tables, and figures

3000-word limit, 250-word structured abstract (objectives, methods, results, and conclusions), no more than 5 tables or figures

3.2.2 Peer reviewed

Yes

3.2.3 Manuscript format

Structured abstract, 3-question summary box (see description below), introduction, description of the program being evaluated, purpose of the evaluation (including evaluation criteria), methods, results, lessons learned, references, and tables/figures

3.2.4 Review criteria

The editors will review public health evaluation submissions in accordance with whether the manuscript: 1) presents actionable results derived from original work, 2) offers models of practice that can be replicated by others, 3) uses sound scientific methods of evaluation, including the appropriate use of statistics, 4) reports on recent data (less than 5 years old preferred), 5) follows the relevant Equator Network guideline for the study type, and 6) uses plain language and statistical presentation relevant to a broad range of public health professionals.

3.3 Public health methodology

Public health methodology manuscripts describe new or proposed applications of epidemiologic or
other scientific methods (eg, surveillance, participatory research) to public health problems. You should follow the relevant Equator Network reporting guideline for the study type.

3.3.1 Number of words, tables, and figures

3000-word limit, 250-word structured abstract (objectives, materials and methods, results, and practice implications), no more than 5 tables or figures

3.3.2 Peer reviewed

Yes

3.3.3 Manuscript format

Structured abstract, 3-question summary box (see description below), introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, practice implications, references, and tables/figures

3.3.4 Review criteria

The editors review public health methodology submissions in accordance with whether the manuscript: 1) uses methods relevant to the theory and practice of epidemiology and other public health sciences, 2) includes applications and examples with original data to illustrate methodology, 3) describes how the method can be used in practice and the public health implications of its use, 4) follows the relevant Equator Network guideline for the study type, and 5) uses plain language and statistical presentation relevant to a broad range of public health professionals.

3.4 Case study

Case studies describe an innovative public health program or initiative, its current status, documented outcomes, and lessons learned.  

3.4.1 Number of words, tables, and figures

2,500-word limit, 250-word unstructured abstract, no more than 3 tables or figures

3.4.2 Peer reviewed

Yes

3.4.3 Manuscript format

Unstructured abstract, introduction, purpose, methods, outcomes, lessons learned, references, and tables/figures.

3.4.4 Review criteria

The editors will review case study submissions in accordance with whether the manuscript: 1) presents actionable results derived from original work, 2) offers models of practice that can be replicated by others, 3) reports on recent data (less than 5 years old preferred), 4) describes lessons learned clearly, and 5) uses plain language and statistical presentation relevant to a broad range of public health professionals.

3.5 Brief report

The journal occasionally publishes brief reports of preliminary or exploratory research results. Authors who wish to submit a brief report should first contact the PHR Managing Editor. 

3.5.1 Number of words, tables, and figures

1,500-word limit, 150-word unstructured abstract, and no more than two tables or figures.

3.5.2 Peer reviewed

Yes

3.5.3 Manuscript format

Unstructured Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, References, and Tables/Figures.

3.5.4 Review criteria

The editors review brief reports submissions in accordance with whether the manuscript: 1) uses sound scientific methods, 2) includes appropriate use of statistics, 3) reports on recent data (less than 5 years old preferred), and 4) uses plain language relevant to a broad range of public health professionals.

3.6 Reports and recommendations

Reports and recommendations manuscripts are written by standards-setting or recommendation-making entities to present public health expert consensus, formed policy, or recommendations for practice. These manuscripts have been previously vetted by the standards-setting or recommendation-making entity.

3.6.1 Number of words, tables, and figures

The word limit is negotiated with the editors. The report includes a 250-word unstructured abstract, no more than 5 tables or figures.

3.6.2 Peer reviewed

At the discretion of the editor in chief

3.6.3 Manuscript format

Unstructured abstract, introduction, methods, recommendations (if relevant), public health practice implications, references, and tables/figures

3.6.4 Review criteria

The editors will review reports and recommendations submissions in accordance with whether the manuscript: 1) presents actionable scientific opinion, standards, or recommendations based on research (may be research of others) or a defined process of expert consensus, 2) offers evidence of thorough vetting by the standards-setting or recommendation-making entity, 3) provides recommendations (if relevant) supported by published science or expert consensus, and 4) uses plain language and statistical presentation relevant to a broad range of public health professionals.

3.7 Topical review

Topical reviews are narrative summaries of a topic relevant to public health practice, including a comprehensive survey of the topic, often including a review of the existing literature and knowledge base, and an update on the current understanding and state-of-the art of the topic.  

3.7.1 Number of words, tables, and figures

3000-word limit, 250-word unstructured abstract, no more than 5 tables or figures

3.7.2 Peer reviewed

Yes

3.7.3 Manuscript format

Unstructured abstract, introduction, methods (if relevant), discussion, public health implications, references, and tables/figures

3.7.4 Review criteria

The editors review topical review submissions in accordance with whether the manuscript: 1) provides a comprehensive presentation and synthesis of the topic and, if included, a review of the existing literature and knowledge base, 2) leaves the reader with an update on the current understanding and state-of-the art of the topic, and 3) uses plain language and statistical presentation relevant to a broad range of public health professionals.

3.8 Commentary

Commentaries are opinion essays that initiate or focus discussion on a current or emerging public health issue, important scientific and programmatic development, new technology, policy issue, or current scientific debate. Commentaries may take a personal viewpoint on a topic, if appropriate.

3.8.1 Number of words, tables, and figures

2500-word limit and no more than 2 tables or figures

3.8.2 Peer reviewed

At the discretion of the editor in chief

3.8.3 Manuscript format

Unstructured format including introduction, discussion, public health implications, references, and tables/figures

3.8.4 Review criteria

The editors will review commentary submissions in accordance with whether the manuscript: 1) proposes a viewpoint or argument that is can enlighten or improve public health practice, and 2) uses plain language and statistical presentation relevant to a broad range of public health professionals.

3.9 Editorial

Editorials are submitted by invitation of the editors.

3.10 Executive perspective

These articles are perspectives on public health issues of the day written by executives of the US Department of Health and Human Services. They are submitted by invitation of the editors.

3.11 Letter to the editor

Letters to the editor are of 2 types: 1) those that comment on manuscripts published in the journal within the past 8 weeks, and 2) those that make a brief observation or comment upon a topic within the scope of the journal.

3.11.1 Number of words, tables, and figures

500-word limit. Tables and figures are allowed if relevant to the comments.

3.11.2 Peer reviewed

No. The authors of the originally published manuscript will be given an opportunity to reply.

3.11.3 Manuscript format

Unstructured. Limit of 5 references, including the article being commented upon.

3.11.4 Review criteria

At the discretion of the editors

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4. Special departments of the journal

4.1 Law and the Public's Health

Law and the Public’s Health appears regularly in PHR. Articles address issues of high importance to public health law, policy, and practice in a succinct style (approximately 2000 words). PHR encourages submissions by legal scholars and practitioners. Potential authors should consult previously published articles to determine likely topics and proper formatting. Cover letters should indicate that the submission is intended for Law and the Public’s Health. Potential authors with questions about the suitability of a submission should contact the Associate Editor in charge of this department, Scott Burris, JD, Professor of Law at the Beasley School of Law, Temple University, at burris@temple.edu.

4.2 From the Schools and Programs of Public Health

The journal welcomes contributions to From the Schools and Programs of Public Health, a department of the journal that specializes in articles on schools and programs of public health, the theory and practice of public health education, and all the issues that are faced by schools and programs of public health, their faculties, and their students. Submissions may be of any manuscript type. Submissions are subjected to peer review according to the manuscript type.

4.3 Writing for Public Health

The journal has instituted a new department devoted to writing for public health. The journal welcomes contributions on all aspects of expertise in writing for the field of public health, such as observations on writing quality and quantity at public health agencies and schools of public health, approaches to teaching writing, genres of writing for public health (eg, scholarly and non-scholarly, writing for lay audiences, advocacy), lessons learned from other spheres where writing is taught (eg, undergraduate institutions), and related topics, such as the relationship of writing to critical thinking in public health. Submissions may be of any manuscript type. Submissions are subjected to peer review according to the manuscript type.

4.4 Public Health Chronicles

Public Health Chronicles is devoted to articles on the history of public health. This department appeared in the journal for many years, was reinstated in 2018, and is edited by David Rosner, PhD, Professor of Sociomedical Sciences, and Co-Director, Center for the History & Ethics of Public Health at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. The submitted format may be any of the articles types described in these instructions or may be accepted as a special article with a flexible format. PHR encourages submissions by public health and history scholars and practitioners. Potential authors should consult previously published articles to determine likely topics and proper formatting. Cover letters should indicate that the submission is intended for Public Health Chronicles. Potential contributors with questions about the suitability of a submission should contact Professor Rosner at dr289@columbia.edu.

4.5 Ethical Dimensions of Public Health

Ethical Dimensions of Public Health welcomes high-quality submissions focused on the ethical practice of public health. We are interested in articles about practical ethics in all public health settings—local, state, national, and global. Articles can be normative or empirical, and might report ethical dimensions of a particularly challenging situation and its resolution, examine teaching and training ethics across all public health personnel and students, address research ethics associated with epidemiological research, evaluate ethics decision making in public health, or address new or emerging ethical issues related to the practice of public health. We encourage broad ethics thinking related to the equity and justice foundations of public health or any of the essential public health services. Submission format may include any of the manuscript types described in instructions for contributors. Please make sure to follow these closely for any special requirements for particular article types. For example, brief report submissions require pre-approval by PHR Managing Editor. Submissions are peer reviewed in accordance with the manuscript type.

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5. Supplemental issues

In addition to six regular issues per year, PHR produces supplemental issues approximately 2-6 times per year. These issues focus on specific topics, nominated by the supplement organizers/guest editors, that are deemed by PHR editors to be within the scope of the journal and of considerable interest to the journal’s readership. To propose a supplemental issue, prospective organizers should contact the PHR Managing Editor.

6. Publishing policies

6.1 Publication ethics

PHR is committed to upholding the integrity of the academic record. The journal follows the ethical standards contained in: 1) the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, 2) the best practice guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and 3) the policies and recommendations of the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). PHR encourages contributors to view the Sage Publication Ethics page on the Sage Author Gateway.

6.2 Plagiarism

PHR and Sage take issues of copyright infringement, plagiarism or other breaches of best practice in publication very seriously. We seek to protect the rights of our authors and we investigate claims of plagiarism or misuse of published articles in accordance with the recommendations or best practice guidelines of the ICMJE, COPE, or WAME. Submitted articles may be checked with duplication-checking software. 

6.3 Prior publication

If material has been previously published, it is not usually acceptable for publication in PHR. However, under certain circumstances, previously published material may be considered for secondary or simultaneous publication. Potential contributors should contact the Managing Editor.  

6.4 Contributor's publishing agreement

Before publication, Sage requires the author as the rights holder to sign a Journal Contributor’s Publishing Agreement. Sage’s Journal Contributor’s Publishing Agreement is an exclusive licence agreement which means that the author retains copyright in the work but grants Sage the sole and exclusive right and licence to publish for the full legal term of copyright. Exceptions may exist where an assignment of copyright is required or preferred by a proprietor other than Sage. In this case copyright in the work will be assigned from the author to the society. For more information please visit the Sage Author Gateway.

6.5 Copyright

It is a condition of publication in the journal that authors, excluding authors employed by the US government, assign copyright to the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). Authors may use their own material in other publications provided PHR is acknowledged as the original place of publication. Material published in the journal may be used, modified, reproduced, and distributed by the US government for government purposes.

6.6 Open access and author archiving

PHR offers optional open access publishing via the Sage Choice programme and Open Access agreements, where authors can publish open access either discounted or free of charge depending on the agreement with Sage. Find out if your institution is participating by visiting Open Access Agreements at Sage. For more information on Open Access publishing options at Sage please visit Sage Open Access. For information on funding body compliance, and depositing your article in repositories, please visit Sage’s Author Archiving and Re-Use Guidelines and Publishing Policies.

6.7 Accessibility

PHR strives to make its content maximally accessible to its readers. As part of PHR publisher’s author services, the journal offers American Sign Language translation of the abstracts of accepted publications. Contact PHR’s managing editor for additional details.

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7. Editorial policies

7.1 Peer review policy

After an initial review by the editors, the journal selects promising submissions for external peer review; these manuscripts are sent to 2 or more external reviewers. After external peer review is completed, the editors select articles for additional consideration, usually after revision. The PHR Editor in Chief makes final decisions on all submissions.

PHR uses a conventional single-anonymized reviewing policy in which the reviewer’s name is always concealed from the submitting author. The editors may occasionally submit their own manuscripts to the journal. In these cases, the peer review process is managed by alternative members of the staff, and the submitting editor has no involvement in the decision-making process.

Sage does not permit the use of author-suggested (recommended) reviewers at any stage of the submission process, be that through the web-based submission system or other communication. Reviewers should be experts in their fields and should be able to provide an objective assessment of the manuscript. Our policy is that reviewers should not be assigned to a paper if:

•  The reviewer is based at the same institution as any of the co-authors

•  The reviewer is based at the funding body of the paper

•  The author has recommended the reviewer

•  The reviewer has provided a personal (e.g. Gmail/Yahoo/Hotmail) email account and an institutional email account cannot be found after performing a basic Google search (name, department and institution). 

PHR is committed to delivering high quality, fast peer-review for your paper, and thus has partnered with Publons. Publons is a third party service that seeks to track, verify and give credit for peer review. Reviewers for PHR can opt in to Publons in order to claim their reviews or have them automatically verified and added to their reviewer profile. Reviewers claiming credit for their review will be associated with the relevant journal, but the article name, reviewer’s decision and the content of the review is not published on the site. For more information visit the Publons website.

7.2 Authorship

Manuscripts should be submitted for consideration only after consent is given in writing by all contributing authors.  The list of authors should include all those, and only those, who can legitimately claim authorship in accordance with the authorship policies of ICMJE, COPE, and WAME.  Acquisition of funding, collection of data, or general supervision of the research group alone does not constitute authorship, although all contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in the Acknowledgments section.  

Please note that AI chatbots, for example ChatGPT, should not be listed as authors. For more information see the policy on Use of ChatGPT and generative AI tools.

7.3 Acknowledgements

All contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in an Acknowledgements section. Examples of those who might be acknowledged include a person who provided purely technical help, or a department chair who provided only general support. Per International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations, it is best practice to obtain consent from non-author contributors who you are acknowledging in your paper before submission.

Any acknowledgements should appear first at the end of your article prior to your Declaration of Conflicting Interests (if applicable), any notes and your References.

7.3.1 Third party submissions

Where an individual who is not listed as an author submits a manuscript on behalf of the author(s), a statement must be included in the Acknowledgements section of the manuscript and in the accompanying cover letter. The statements must:

• Disclose this type of editorial assistance – including the individual’s name, company and level of input
• Identify any entities that paid for this assistance
• Confirm that the listed authors have authorized the submission of their manuscript via third party and approved any statements or declarations, e.g. conflicting interests, funding, etc.

Where appropriate, Sage reserves the right to deny consideration to manuscripts submitted by a third party rather than by the authors themselves.

7.3.2 Writing assistance

Individuals who provided writing assistance, e.g. from a specialist communications company, do not qualify as authors and so should be included in the Acknowledgements section. Authors must disclose any writing assistance – including the individual’s name, company and level of input – and identify the entity that paid for this assistance. It is not necessary to disclose use of language polishing services.

7.4 Funding

PHR requires all authors to acknowledge their funding in a consistent fashion under a separate heading.  Please visit the Funding Acknowledgements page on the Sage Journal Author Gateway to confirm the format of the acknowledgment text in the event of funding, or state, “The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.”

7.5 Declaration of conflicting interests

PHR requires a declaration of conflicting interests from all authors, and this statement will be included as part of the article. Please ensure that a ‘Declaration of Conflicting Interests’ statement is included at the end of your manuscript, after any acknowledgements and prior to the references. If no conflict exists, please state that, “The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.” For guidance on conflict of interest statements, please see the ICMJE recommendations. 

7.6 Research ethics, patient consent, and statement of ethics review

Research involving data on or collected from human subjects must be conducted according to the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki and must comply with the ethical principles outlined in the Belmont Report. Submitted manuscripts should conform to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, and all articles reporting animal and/or human studies must state in the Methods section that the relevant ethics committee (eg, institutional animal care and use committee or institutional review board [IRB]) provided or waived approval or that the approval was not needed per that ethics committee’s policy. PHR also follows the guidelines of the AMA Manual of Style, 11th Edition on ethical approval of studies (Section 5.8.1, Ethical Review of Studies and Informed Consent), which states that “all reports of research involving human participants should include indication of ethical review and approval or exemption or exclusion based on institutional policies or regulations.”

For articles that involve human participants or data on humans, authors must include the name of the IRB and its review number, indicating determination of nonresearch, exempt status, or IRB approval. For example, “This study received a non–human subjects research determination by the University of State’s IRB, #23-2032,” or “This study was approved by the University of State’s IRB, # 23-2034.”

Authors should not make their own determinations of nonresearch or exempt status; these determinations should be made by the institution’s human research protection program or IRB office or rely on these bodies’ policies. In addition, authors must state in the Methods section whether participants provided informed consent and whether the consent was written or verbal.

For articles that report individual cases or case series, authors must include information on informed consent in the manuscript text. A statement is required regarding whether written informed consent for patient information and images to be published was provided by the patient(s) or a legally authorized representative. Please also refer to the ICMJE Recommendations for the Protection of Research Participants.

For articles that do not involve human participants or data on humans (eg, studies involving organisms, policy reviews), authors should include a statement that IRB review was not necessary per the guidelines of the relevant ethics committee. The reason for exemption should also be specified. For example, “This project did not involve human data or participants; therefore, per the guidelines of the XYZ Institutional Review Board, IRB assessment was not necessary.”

PHR is not responsible for the accuracy of IRB statements. It merely requires that the article include a statement consistent with the ethical guidelines cited previously. PHR recommends that authors discuss their IRB statement requirements with their institutions’ officials.

Include the IRB statement at the end of the first paragraph of the Methods section. Provide the full name and institution of the review committee, in addition to the approval number, if applicable.

Here are examples of strong IRB statements:

• This project was reviewed and approved by the Washington University in St Louis Institutional Review Board and CDC (IRB # 2020-466 and 20-1789), and its conduct was consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy (eg, 45 CFR part 46; 21 CFR part 56; 42 USC §241[d]; 5 USC §552a; 44 USC §3501 et seq).
• The Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center Institutional Review Board determined this study was exempt because it used publicly available data without personal identifiers (IRB # 23-014).
• The UW Institutional Review Board considered this study not human subjects research because of the lack of interaction with or collection of identifiable information about human subjects and because it was conducted as part of public health surveillance (IRB # 2022-3554).
• This project did not involve human data or participants; therefore, IRB assessment was not necessary per the policy of the Office of Science and Medicine at the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.

Here are examples of weak IRB statements:

• We did not seek institutional review board approval because we used deidentified data.
• We did not seek institutional review board approval for this study because our research was a public health activity and did not involve human subjects.
• As a secondary data analysis of publicly available, deidentified data, this study was exempt from institutional review board approval.
• This public health evaluation does not include people or contain any data about people.

7.7 Clinical trials

PHR conforms to the ICMJE requirement that clinical trials are registered in a WHO-approved public trials registry at or before the time of first patient enrollment as a condition of consideration for publication. The trial registry name and URL, and registration number must be included at the end of the abstract.

7.8 Reporting guidelines

Contributors should follow the relevant EQUATOR Network reporting guidelines for the type of study. For example, all randomized controlled trials submitted for publication should include a completed CONSORT flow chart as a cited figure and the completed CONSORT checklist should be uploaded with your submission as a supplementary file. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses should include the completed PRISMA flow chart as a cited figure and the completed PRISMA checklist should be uploaded with your submission as a supplementary file. The EQUATOR wizard can help you identify the appropriate guideline. If your research involves animals, you will be asked to confirm that you have carefully read and adhered to the ARRIVE guidelines. Other resources can be found at NLM’s Research Reporting Guidelines and Initiatives

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8. Preparing your manuscript for submission

8.1 Submission of manuscripts to supplement issues

Generally, these instructions apply to procedures for submitting manuscripts to the PHR bimonthly issue. Submission to a PHR supplement issue may follow a separate process. Contributors who wish to submit a manuscript to a supplement issue should first contact the Managing Editor.  

8.2 The Sage Author Gateway

The Sage Author Gateway has some general advice and on how to get published, plus links to further resources.

8.3 PHR style

PHR follows the AMA Manual, available at http://www.amamanualofstyle.com. You should consult the AMA Manual to ensure that all components of your manuscript, and its style, are in accordance with PHR and AMA style. As a federal publication, PHR also strives to comply with the principles of the federal plain language writing guidelines, which promote the use of language that is “clear, concise, and well-organized.” 

Four style points that PHR contributors often overlook are: 1) the use of the passive voice, 2) the expression of proportions, 3) the use of abbreviations, and 4) the use of the correct verb tense. With regard to use of the passive voice, Section 7.4.1 of the AMA Manual dictates that “[i]n general, authors should use the active voice, except in instances in which the actor is unknown or the interest focuses on what is acted on.”  

With regard to the expression of proportions, Section 18.7.3 of the AMA Manual generally requires presentation of numerators and denominators when showing proportions and percentages: "Whenever possible, proportions and percentages should be accompanied by the actual numerator (n) and denominator (d) from which they were derived.”  

Regarding the use of abbreviations, Section 13.0 of the AMA Manual emphasizes that “overuse of abbreviations can be confusing and ambiguous for readers—especially those whose first language is not English or those outside a specific specialty or discipline.” In accordance with that style, PHR prefers to minimize the use of abbreviations.  

Regarding correct verb tense, Section 7.4.3 of the AMA Manual provides guidance. Most manuscripts report on analyses and observations made in the past, so the past tense is the proper tense to use.

In addition, PHR: 1) prefers the use of the word, “person” over “individual,” 2) does not use the word, “case,” to refer to a person. A case is not a person, but a case occurs in a person, 3) in accordance with the AMA Manual, PHR prefers that the results section of abstracts contain specific numerical results, and 4) in general, PHR does not use pie charts. 

8.4 Components of your manuscript

8.4.1 Title page

Your manuscript should begin with a title page, which should include the following: 1) a title (short and descriptive), 2) keywords, 3) the full names of all authors, including their graduate degrees (when the number of authors exceeds 10, the cover letter should contain a justification for this), 4) all authors’ institutional affiliations and job titles during the course of the research (and current affiliation and title for corresponding author if different), 5) the name, advanced degrees, affiliation, street address, telephone number, and email address of the corresponding author, and 6) the total word count of the text, exclusive of abstract, tables, and references, and the number of charts, tables, and figures.

8.4.2 Abstract

Consult the journal’s article types to determine whether an abstract is necessary, how it should be structured, and its length. 

8.4.3 Keywords

Provide 3 to 5 keywords that represent the key topics presented in the article.

8.4.4 Three-question summary box

PHR is instituting a 3-question summary box to be published in 3 article types: original research, public health evaluation, and public health methodology. The summary box is intended to allow a reader to understand at a glance the essence of the article’s findings and contribution to the literature. Provide 1 or 2 sentences for each of the following 3 questions: 1) What is the current understanding of this subject?, 2) What does this report add to the literature?, and 3) What are the implications for public health practice?  The total word count for the summary box, excluding the questions, should be no more than 85 words. The summary box should not merely replicate language in the abstract. 

8.4.5 References

PHR does not limit the number of references. References should follow the various formats detailed in Chapter 3 (pages 59-111) of the 11th edition of the AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors. The manual is available in print and online (https://www.amamanualofstyle.com). Before submitting your manuscript, please strip out all coding generated by bibliographic programs (eg, Endnote), and be sure to add DOIs (digital object identifiers) at the end of journal references, when applicable. Do not include in the list of references material that has been submitted for publication but not yet accepted or unpublished data and reports; this information should be noted as a personal communication in parentheses in text where mentioned.

The AMA Manual of Style gives detailed guidance on—and hundreds of examples of—how to correctly format references. For your convenience, here are examples of the 11 most common types of references cited:

Journal Article

Maness SB, Merrell L, Thompson EL, Griner SB, Line N, Wheldon C. Social determinants of health and health disparities: COVID-19 exposures and mortality among African American people in the United States. Public Health Rep. 2021;136(1):18-22. doi:10.1177/0033354920969169

Entire Book

Sarwark JF, LaBella Cr, eds. Pediatric Orthopaedics and Sports Injuries: A Quick Reference Guide. 3rd ed. American Academy of Pediatrics; 2021.

Chapter in a Book

Fischer L, Frank P. References. In: Christiansen SL, Iverson C, Flanagin A, et al. AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors.11th ed. American Medical Association; 2020:59-111.

Website

Promoting social and emotional health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated February 2, 2021. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/populationhealth/well-being/index.htm

Government or Agency Report (nonelectronic)

Johnston LD, O’Malley PM, Bachman JG, Schulenberg JE, Miech RA. Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2014: College Students and Adults Ages 19-55. Vol 2. National Institute on Drug Abuse, US Department of Health and Human Services; 2014.

Government or Organization Reports (electronic)

US Department of Health and Human Services. Protection of human subjects. 45 CFR 46. Revised March 10, 2021. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/regulations/revised-common-rule-regulatory-text/index.html

News Publication

Shashank B. The world surpasses 10 billion vaccine doses administered, but gaps persist in who gets the shots. The New York Times. January 28, 2022. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/28/world/covid-vaccines-10-billion-doses.html

Blog

Campbell KP. Updated guidance on reporting race and ethnicity: let’s start with the why. AMA Style Insider blog. November 15, 2021. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://amastyleinsider.com/2021/11/15/updated-guidance-on-reporting-race-and-ethnicity-lets-start-with-the-why

Software

When mentioning software (eg, software used for statistical analysis), there is no need to cite it in the reference list. It can be cited in text, as in the following example: “We used SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc) to conduct all analyses.” Include the name of the program, the version, and, in parentheses, the name of the software creator or manufacturer.

Poster, Paper, Abstract Presented at a Conference

Morales M, Zhou X. Health practices of immigrant women: indigenous knowledge in an urban environment. Paper presented at: 78th Association for Information Science and Technology Annual Meeting; November 6-10, 2015; St Louis, MO. Accessed March 15, 2016. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/2857070.2857108

Personal Communication

Do not include in the list of references material that has been submitted for publication but not yet accepted; this information should be noted as personal communication in the following format: “The Springfield Department of Public Health confirmed that 202 cases of influenza occurred during the study period (A. B. Smith, PhD, Springfield Department of Public Health, email communication, January 28, 2022).”

8.4.6 Tables and figures

Tables and figures should be placed in the manuscript after the references, each on its own separate page in portrait orientation. Tables and figures in landscape orientation will be returned to the author for revision. See the information above on manuscript types to determine limits on the number of tables and figures.

• Titles: PHR follows the AMA Manual of Style. In addition, all tables and figures should stand on their own. That is, a reader who never sees the text of the article should be able to understand the sense of the material being presented. The title should state the “what, where, and when” of the material fully (e.g., “Demographic characteristics of patients who were offered, accepted, and declined HIV testing at an urban health center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2012-2014”). Footnotes should be added to explain all notations and acronyms used in the table or figure. If the table reports data from a source, the unabbreviated name of the source should be included in the title. The time period covered by the data reported should always be included.
• For tables, “each piece of data needs to be contained in its own cell in the table. Avoid creating tables using spaces or tabs” (AMA Manual, section 4.1.10).
• Format for images: TIFF, JPEG files: Common format for pictures (containing no text or graphs). EPS: Preferred format for graphs and line art (retains quality when enlarging or zooming in). For all graphs and charts created in Excel, please submit the original Excel files. These files should include the actual data used to create the graphs or charts. Please avoid inserting Excel graphs or charts in Word documents, especially when these graphs or charts are no longer linked to the data source.
• Placement: Please add a placeholder note in the running text (i.e., “[insert Figure 1.]")
• Resolution: Rasterized based files (i.e., with .tiff or .jpeg extension) require a resolution of at least 300 dpi (dots per inch). Line art should be supplied with a minimum resolution of 800 dpi.
• Color: Figures can be printed in color for a fee. Otherwise, images supplied in color will be published in color online and black and white in print. Therefore, it is important that you supply images that are comprehensible in black and white or grayscale. Captions should not use words indicating color.
• Dimension: Check that the artworks supplied match or exceed the dimensions of the journal. Images cannot be scaled up after origination.
• Fonts: The lettering used in the artwork should not vary too much in size and type (usually sans serif font as a default).

8.5 Hypothesis, study design, and methods

Contributors should follow the standards of the AMA Manual regarding the presentation of study design, rationale, and statistical analysis. As stated in the AMA Manual, Section 19.1, “Each portion of the manuscript should facilitate the reader’s understanding of why and how the study was done and (1) clearly state a hypothesis or study question, (2) show that the methods adequately answer the research question and that the data were appropriately analyzed, (3) convince the reader that the results are valid and credible, and (4) place the implications of the research in context and show that the study limitations do not preclude interpretation of the results.” Section 19.1.2 states, “In the Introduction, briefly review the literature that documents the nature and importance of the research and rationale for the study. An extended full literature review belongs in the Discussion section. The study hypothesis or research question should be clearly stated in the last sentence(s) of the Introduction before the ‘Methods’ section, preferably including the word hypothesis (or question).”

As stated in the AMA Manual, Section 19.1.3, the Methods section of the manuscript should, “include enough information to enable a knowledgeable reader to replicate the study and, given the original data, verify the reported results.” The Methods section should include certain components listed in Section 19.1.13 that are applicable to the study design. 

8.6 Expression of statistics

Contributors should review the standards of the AMA Manual to determine proper presentation of statistics. The PHR editors also have found that many errors can be avoided by consulting: Lang TA, Secic M. How to Report Statistics in Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: ACP; 2006. Another useful reference is the SAMPL Guidelines. 

PHR seeks to ensure that general epidemiologists are able to understand the presentation of most statistics in the journal. Contributors should strive to present statistics in a way that can be understood by readers who are general epidemiologists. If more advanced statistical presentations are needed, contributors should explain the method used or refer readers to published references. For example, for many studies, the presentation of simple descriptive results and measures of association (eg, prevalence ratios) should precede the presentation of statistical results intended to control for confounding or test hypotheses. 

Authors often have difficulty with the expression of P values. Contributors should take care to avoid the “P value fallacy” and follow the conventions for P values listed in the AMA Manual, Section 19.1 and 19.5. For example, all hypothesis tests should be presented in the text, tables, and figures so as to make clear to the reader what hypothesis is being tested and what groups are being compared. For the presentation of survey data, estimated prevalences generally should be accompanied by a measure of precision, such as the 95% confidence interval.

Contributors should be aware that, according to the AMA Manual, “It is always preferable for results to be presented in terms of point estimates and confidence intervals, which convey more information than do P values alone.” Contributors should be particularly careful to note that a result that fails to meet a criterion for statistical significance (such as P<0.05) does not allow a conclusion that there is “no effect,” “no difference” in outcomes, or “no association” between an exposure or characteristic and an outcome. Inferences should be carefully reasoned and not based solely on statistical hypothesis testing.

8.7 Formatting

The preferred format for your manuscript is Microsoft Word. LaTeX files are also accepted. Your manuscript should use page numbers, continuous line numbering, and 1.5-line spacing. Manuscripts should be formatted with .75-inch margins on all sides and use 12-point Times New Roman font. Word and LaTeX templates are available on the Manuscript Submission Guidelines page of the Sage Author Gateway.

8.8 Artwork, figures and other graphics

For guidance on the preparation of illustrations, pictures and graphs in electronic format, please visit Sage’s Artwork Guidelines.

Figures supplied in color will appear in color online regardless of whether or not these illustrations are reproduced in color in the printed version. For specifically requested color reproduction in print, you will receive information about the costs from Sage after receipt of your accepted article.  

8.9 Supplemental material

To conserve the use of print pages and editorial resources, PHR does not include supplemental materials in the print version of the article. However, the journal will consider hosting online-only materials (eg, tables, figures, datasets, derivation of complex equations, podcasts, videos, images) when the main article has insufficient space and the materials are deemed to be essential or add value to the main text. Decisions about whether to publish online-only supplemental material files will be made by journal editors as part of the article review process.

If accepted for publication, supplemental materials will be published online only, not in the print version of the article. Although these materials will be subject to peer review, they will not be edited by PHR’s scientific editors during the editing and production process (ie, they will not be checked for accuracy, formatted according to the AMA Manual of Style, typeset, or proofread). We do, however, request that authors follow the same formatting guidelines outlined for main text and consult the AMA Manual of Style for presentation of text, tables, and figures. All supplemental materials should be submitted in a single Word file at the same time the main text is submitted. Authors assume responsibility for the scientific accuracy and file functionality of these materials. A disclaimer will be displayed to this effect on supplemental materials: “The authors have provided these supplemental materials to give readers additional information about their work. These materials have not been edited or formatted by PHR’s scientific editors and, thus, may not conform to the guidelines of the AMA Manual of Style, 11th Edition.”

Authors who wish to include supplemental materials should cite and link them at the same level as a table or figure that appears in the main text. They should be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are cited in the text: eTable 1 in the Supplement, eTable 2 in the Supplement, eFigure 1 in the Supplement, eFigure 2 in the Supplement, and so on.

Another option for authors with supplemental materials is to include a short sentence in the Acknowledgments that indicates supplemental materials are available elsewhere. For example:

• Additional Information: The original dataset is available from the New Jersey State Department of Health.
• Additional Information: A complete list of documents surveyed is available on request from the corresponding author.
• Additional Information: These documents are also available online [insert URL].

For more information on supplemental materials, please refer to Sage’s guidelines on submitting supplemental files.

Appendices

PHR generally does not include appendices. If an appendix is accepted for publication, it will be edited and formatted by PHR’s scientific editors and published in the print version of the article. The journal follows the guidelines of the AMA Manual of Style, 11th Edition: “If the material is worthy of inclusion because it contains important information, it could be considered for online supplemental content.”

8.10 English language editing services

The journal strongly recommends that all manuscript authors, especially authors with English as a second language, have their manuscripts reviewed and edited by a professional scientific editor before submitting their manuscript. Many companies offer editing services. Information about Sage Publishing’s service is located at Sage Language Services on the Sage Journal Author Gateway. 

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9. Submitting your manuscript

9.1 Cover letter

Include a cover letter that contains: 1) a description of the article and brief explanation of the findings, 2) brief descriptions of what is already known about the topic or research question, how the findings of the article will add to, or fill a gap in, the literature on the topic, and the implications of the findings for public health practice, 3) a statement on how the research or commentary is relevant to the mission and scope of PHR, 4) a statement that the material has not been published nor is being considered for publication elsewhere, 5) a statement indicating institutional review board determination (approval or waiver) for all studies involving human subjects research, 6) a statement regarding any potential conflicts of interest for each author, 7) a disclosure noting any similar or related work submitted or published elsewhere.

9.2 ORCID

As part of our commitment to ensuring an ethical, transparent and fair peer review process Sage is a supporting member of ORCID, the Open Researcher and Contributor ID. ORCID provides a unique and persistent digital identifier that distinguishes researchers from every other researcher, even those who share the same name, and, through integration in key research workflows such as manuscript and grant submission, supports automated linkages between researchers and their professional activities, ensuring that their work is recognized

The collection of ORCID IDs from corresponding authors is now part of the submission process of this journal. If you already have an ORCID ID you will be asked to associate that to your submission during the online submission process. We also strongly encourage all co-authors to link their ORCID ID to their accounts in our online peer review platforms. It takes seconds to do: click the link when prompted, sign into your ORCID account and our systems are automatically updated. Your ORCID ID will become part of your accepted publication’s metadata, making your work attributable to you and only you. Your ORCID ID is published with your article so that fellow researchers reading your work can link to your ORCID profile and from there link to your other publications.

If you do not already have an ORCID ID please follow this link to create one or visit our ORCID homepage to learn more.

9.3 Information required for completing your submission

You will be asked to provide contact details and academic affiliations for all co-authors via the submission system and identify who is to be the corresponding author. These details must match what appears on your manuscript. At this stage please ensure you have included all the required statements and declarations and uploaded any additional supplementary files (including reporting guidelines where relevant). 

9.4 Permissions

Please ensure that you have obtained any necessary permission from copyright holders for reproducing any illustrations, tables, figures or lengthy quotations previously published elsewhere. For further information including guidance on fair dealing for criticism and review, please see the Copyright and Permissions page on the Sage Author Gateway.

9.5 What to expect after submission

Corresponding authors will receive acknowledgment of receipt within 48 hours. Typically, decisions regarding external peer review are provided within 3 weeks after submission. PHR’s submission gateway is located at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/PHR. Please check whether you already have an account in the system before trying to create a new one. If you have reviewed or authored for the journal in the past year it is likely that you will have had an account created.   

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10. Acceptance and publication

10.1 Sage Production

Your Sage production editor will keep you informed as to your accepted article’s progress throughout the production process. Proofs will be sent by PDF to the corresponding author and should be returned promptly.  Authors are reminded to check their proofs carefully to confirm that all author information, including names, affiliations, sequence and contact details are correct, and that funding and conflict of interest statements are accurate.

10.2 OnlineFirst publication

Nearly all articles for the PHR bimonthly issue are published online ahead of print, as soon as they have finished the proofing process, through Sage Publishing’s Online First. This substantially reduces the lead time between submission and publication. Visit the Sage Journals help page for more details, including how to cite Online First articles.

10.3 Access to your published article

Sage provides authors with online access to their final article.

10.4 Promoting your article

Publication is not the end of the process! You can help disseminate your article and ensure it is as widely read and cited as possible. The Sage Author Gateway has numerous resources to help you promote your work. Visit the Promote Your Article page on the Gateway for tips and advice.

10.5 Claim continuing education credits

PHR offers continuing education (CE) credits towards CPH (Certified in Public Health) degree recertification for authoring a published article. Visit the PHR CE information page to learn more.

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11. Further information

Please do not submit pre-submission inquiries, unless specifically noted as a requirement for your article type. We ask that authors determine the suitability of the submission based on the aims and scope outlined on the journal website.

Correspondence, queries or additional requests for information on the manuscript submission process should be sent to the PHR editorial office as follows: 

Public Health Editorial Office
PHR@sagepub.com

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